A reckless driver who ran down and killed a police officer before boasting about it has been jailed - but he said "prison is easy" as he has a TV in his cell.

Gary Cody, also known as Gary Bromige, 25, who was sentenced to eight and a half years at Kingston Crown Court, kept newspaper clippings about the incident in his cell which he showed off to fellow inmates, and played an "imaginary violin" about the tragedy as he bragged about it.

Bromige, of Holland Road, south Norwood, was doing between 80-88mph in his Volkswagen Golf on Reigate Avenue in Sutton, south London, in the early hours of September 20 last year when traffic police attempted to stop him.

Father-of-two Pc Andy Duncan, 47, stepped out to pull him over, but Bromige hit the father-of-two, throwing him 35 metres "like a ragdoll" and leaving him with fatal injuries.

The officer, who had been with the Metropolitan Police for 23 years, died in hospital two days later.

If Bromige was going at the speed limit he would have been able to stop, Jonathan Rees QC for the prosecution said.

Bromige, who wore a maroon tracksuit in court, was driving to a Krispy Kreme doughnuts outlet and drove away from the scene before abandoning the car.

The court heard he rang his father and told him that he had "done it this time". His father told him to hand himself in.

He pleaded guilty in December to causing death by dangerous driving, as well as charges of causing death while uninsured, causing death while unlicensed, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Nicholas Price QC, said Pc Duncan's injuries were "catastrophic", and pointed out the difference in the lives of the two men - a policeman doing his duty as opposed to a man who has 35 convictions with a "staggering" 88 offences.

"The contrast between your short life and that of Pc Duncan could not be more stark.

"He was simply doing his duty when your vehicle struck him," he said.

The judge said that due to the defendant's actions, society and a family have been "robbed of a man in the prime of his life who had so much to offer".

Addressing Bromige, the judge said: "I struggle to find anything of real benefit to be said on your behalf."

The judge said Bromige was heard saying in jail: "Prison is easy. I've got my telly. Don't care how long I get."

Mr Rees read extracts from a prison officer's statement, telling the court: "It shows that he appears to be extracting a degree of satisfaction from his notoriety."

In the statement, the prison officer said Bromige said to him: "Do you know who I am? I'm the one on the news. The one who ran the policeman over. I'm probably on the telly all over the world."

The prison officer said he also overheard Bromige talking to other prisoners about the incident.

"It's on YouTube," he was overheard saying.

"Copper brown bread. You see it on there. Me and the car and the copper dead on the road."

At this point Bromige is said to have played an "imaginary violin".

Mr Rees said Bromige also kept a collection of newspaper clippings about the crime in his cell.

Referring back to the prison officer's remarks about his boasting, the judge said Bromige was seemingly "upbeat with a big smile on your face", and showed a "child-like excitement".

Bromige bowed his head and rubbed his face with his hands as the prison officer's statement was being read.

After the sentencing, DCI John McFarlane, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "We became aware that Cody (Bromige) was claiming to be full of remorse.

"However, his conduct in the prison didn't reflect the remorse he claimed.

"We know he was boasting that he had killed a copper and that he had newspaper clippings regarding the incident in his cell which he was showing off to other inmates."

In an impact statement read to the court, Pc Duncan's wife, Claire, said: "Since September our lives have changed completely. We are devastated - I have lost my husband and our children have lost their father.

"They are struggling with this every day. My daughter has said that she is so upset that her dad had so much more to teach her.

"My son has said that he no longer wants to learn to drive. Not having their dad around will affect them forever.

"Andrew's parents are without their son and are finding life difficult. His sister has lost her only brother. Our future plans as a couple will not take place as we wished.

"Our plans for our house, travelling and retirement are now things that I will face alone. He was my world - we are truly devastated."